Context:
Bangladesh returns BSF jawan after talks
Border Security Force (BSF):
- Established in 1965 after the India-Pakistan war.
- One of the 7 Central Armed Police Forces under the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
- Other Forces – Assam Rifles (AR), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), National Security Guards (NSG), and Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB).
- Deployment – Along the Pakistan and Bangladesh borders, the Line of Control (LoC) with the Indian Army, and in Anti-Naxal Operations.
- Special Operations – It defends Sir Creek in the Arabian Sea and the Sundarbans delta in the Bay of Bengal with its fleet of watercraft.
- UN Peacekeeping – The BSF also contributes to UN peacekeeping missions by sending trained personnel annually.
- Jurisdiction and Powers –
- Empowered under various laws, including Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) of 1973, the Passports Act of 1967, the Passport (Entry into India) Act of 1920, and the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS) of 1985.
- Section 139(1) of the BSF Act – Allows the central government to designate areas adjoining India’s borders where BSF personnel can exercise powers to prevent offences under specified Acts.
- Extension of Jurisdiction –
- The jurisdiction of the BSF was extended by the Ministry of Home Affairs in 2021 to enhance border security and improve the effectiveness of its operations.
- This extension allows the BSF to operate in a broader area, ensuring better control and management of border-related issues, including smuggling, illegal immigration, and cross-border crimes.
Source: The Hindu
Previous Year Question
Department of Border Management is a Department of which one of the following Union Ministries?
[UPSC Civil Service Exam – 2008 Prelims]
(a) Ministry of Defence
(b) Ministry of Home Affairs
(c) Ministry of Shipping, Road Transport and Highways
(d) Ministry of Environment and Forests
Answer: (b)
